His comments come a week after the European Union, angered by Zimbabwe ‘s refusal to allow international observers to freely monitor the March 29 vote, extended sanctions against President Robert Mugabe’s government to February 20, 2009.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has also ordered the independent observer team, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, ZESN, to immediately stop carrying out voter education.
ZESN chief, Noel Kututwa, said this week he was “very disturbed” by violence in downtown Harare last week.
Nine teachers distributing fliers in Harare about the appalling education crisis in Zimbabwe were abducted and brutalized by a Zanu (PF) mob at the provincial ruling party headquarters in downtown Harare. Kututwa said the teachers, who are still in the intensive care unit of the Avenues Clinic, were brutalized while police stood by.
It is alleged the police were present and did not act to prevent the incidents. This is a matter of great concern,” Kututwa said. He promised to look into the charges.
Opposition officials have also charged that ruling party militants have set up “no-go”‘ areas where the opposition cannot campaign. They say that from these areas the militants are launching violent forays into surrounding voter districts.
Kututwa also criticized the government’s decision to bar foreign media organizations from covering the election.
Several international media organizations, have been refused accreditation for journalists hoping to travel to Zimbabwe for the vote.
Post published in: News